Throw a star party

Entertainment awards season is in full swing and will be coming to a close on February 22 with the biggest show of all, the 81st Academy Awards. Here's your guide to host a glitzy and glamorous party of your own as you cheer or jeer this year's celebrity nominees.

Academy Award party tips

Oscar Invites

There is still plenty of time to mail out paper invites. If you are looking to have a more formal get-together, mailing invites is the way to go. If you have time to make your own invites visit YumSugar.com for adorable and super simple homemade Oscar invitations. If you aren't in the mood to make your own, visit AnnouncingIt.com for personalized movie theme invitations. Of course if you're throwing a last minute party or just want a simple gathering, Evite.com has a variety of Oscar-worthy invitations to send electronically.

Academy award attire

Let your guests know if you want them to dress up. Obviously sitting on the couch eating delicious food and sitting in a ball-gown isn't going to happen, but you can still have a theme for the party attire. Tell your guests to dress up as their favorite actor or actress that was nominated this year or as someone nominated in their favorite movie. (Click for a list of all the nominees.)

Throw a red carpet contest

Set up a faux red carpet and take pictures of each guest as they arrive. Have a best and worst dressed list (all in good fun, of course) and try to guess who each person is dressed as. Or for even more fun, have your guests dress up in Oscar outfits gone wrong from years past. (Click for some of the more memorable Oscar attire faux pas.)

Academy award decorations

Hang movie posters of all the nominated films around room along with cutouts of movie reels, clapboards, Oscars, spotlights and anything else that evokes the Hollywood feel. You can even cut out a huge Hollywood sign and tack it up for a real feel effect.

Oscar extras

Make sure to print out nomination forms for everyone so you can track who wins. You can even create a pool and have everyone choose their winners beforehand and see who has the most and least correct picks at the end. Give out small prizes such as a plastic Oscar or cupcakes with edible Oscar cupcake toppers.

Academy Award-winning menu

Create a menu around the nominated movies of this year. For example, create a signature Sazerac cocktail, similar to what Benjamin Button drank in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Indian Masala in honor of Slumdog Millionaire, and a decadent Milk Chocolate Cake celebrating the movie Milk. Recipes follow. Of course you should also have plenty of appetizers and other finger foods to nibble on as well.